A Nara's Shadow Through Time and Space
by Esellyn
Summary: Danzo has taken over the world. The other Kage have long been killed, students, family, anyone even remotely connected to them dead, or in hiding where Danzo can't get to them. His father was already dead, Shikamaru was to be next. Something interrupted those plans.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) You picked A Nara's Shadow Through Time and Space! Here's the first chapter! Don't worry, the Tenten-centric ones will make another appearance when SDC ends. For those that worried about that.**

"He suspects a lot of things," Temari muttered, spinning a small fan with chakra. "Always does."

"He's actually going to do something this time," Naruto said. "He may have been in the shadows for a long time, but no longer. He can only manipulate people so much."

"We can't hold an entire clan in the hideouts," Kankuro growled, looking up from his puppet parts. "We're barely surviving as it is."

"Worst case scenario, they have to stay in the forest. You know no one can get in there," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes. "No one they don't want, anyway. And I can fortify it with seals on top of that."

"Naruto, you know as well as I do that it won't work forever," Kankuro shot back.

"It'll work long enough for us to get a better hideout setup," Naruto insisted. "I'm almost done with the space expanding seal, almost done with constructing that other dimension. We'd need a gatekeeper for the seal, but once it's done, we can all be safe. Just give me another month or two."

"We can leave," Temari murmured, glancing around the cave they were in.

Naruto cursed, glancing at his wrist. "I'm cutting it close. I don't know when I'll be able to talk again."

The remaining two sand siblings nodded as Naruto plunged into a seal drawn on the wall and disappeared.

Temari stared at it longingly. "If only."

"If only," Kankuro agreed, turning back to his puppet.

"Hello, Mirai, Kurenai-sensei," Shikamaru drawled, waving to the pair.

"Good morning Shikamaru," Kurenai replied, smiling at Shikamaru. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, I guess," Shikamaru yawned.

Kurenai chuckled. "Tired as always, I see."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Lots to be tired about. Been on a lot of missions recently."

"Anything too dangerous?" Kurenai asked, brow furrowing in concern.

Shikamaru shrugged uncaringly. "Not too bad. Can't talk about it though, you aren't an active kunoichi anymore."

Kurenai chuckled, looking at her daughter. "I'm good raising Mirai. It is my hope she'll grow up in a better world than I did."

"It's already better, there isn't any war," Shikamaru pointed out. "The landscape isn't desolate, and we're recovering quickly. We'll be back up to full strength soon."

Kurenai nodded, looking out over the village, or what was left of it after the invasion. "Soon. It was nice talking to you Shikamaru, but I do have grocery shopping to do today."

Shikamaru inclined his head. "Of course. Have a good day Kurenai-sensei." With that, he moved on, as slouched as ever, gliding along like he was mostly asleep.

The entire conversation had conveyed two things, one, that Danzo wasn't trying to kill him just yet, and that Naruto's dimension that he was building was almost ready.

Well, he wasn't precisely building a dimension so much as he was accessing the already there summons dimension and building a new place for them to live.

It had been Kurama's idea, oddly enough. The giant fox had very reluctantly started to cooperate after Danzo said exactly what he was planning to do with him and Naruto in his earshot. At least Naruto tried to make it interesting and talked to him.

Shikamaru sighed as a hawk circled over him once. Another mission. Perhaps he'd get out to see Temari again, or Sakura perhaps, he hadn't seen either in ages. It was pretty quiet without them around. As troublesome as they were, he kinda missed them.

The entire thing took less than two minutes and was done without a word. Shikamaru collected the mission scroll, read and memorized it, then burned it in front of them before leaving to pack.

It was near Sakura and Karin's hideout, close enough he could stop by for a short chat to see how well they were holding up. And perhaps give them a Akimichi food scroll, as Naruto had taken to calling them. Naruto drew them up, the Akimichi filled them with food, and they went with anyone who had a mission near one of the hideouts. The people inside got fresh food for once, instead of the ration bars they mostly had to survive on. They were surviving, living, and Naruto was working on a seal to save them.

Shikamaru sighed, finishing up his packing and storing the scroll in one of his pockets. He had gone onto Danzo's radar. The mission would be too high for a normal chuunin, and was probably a bit too difficult for him. As such, he was taking no prisoners, and taking all the precautions he could. His head was now on the chopping block.

"Shikamaru, it's wonderful to see you," Sakura greeted him.

"You just want the food," Shikamaru muttered, tossing the scroll to the two girls.

"Maybe a bit," Karin admitted, unsealing one of the fruits and biting into it. "So, your head on the chopping block yet?"

Shikamaru sighed, half lidded eyes staring her down. "Yes."

Sakura frowned. "We don't have any more hideouts, you know that."

Shikamaru nodded gravely. "And so does Naruto."

Karin growled, looking severely annoyed. Whether at herself or Danzo, it was to be determined. "How close is the seal to finishing?"

"Far enough that they'll get my body," Shikamaru replied, appearing, for all intents and purposes, to be asleep.

"I may have another option," Karin said, frowning slightly. "It'll probably only work once, but we can try."

Shikamaru cracked open an eye to look at her.

Karin shifted, pulling out a large scroll. "It's a space/time seal, like the one Naruto is working on, but it's destination is another universe. And maybe back in time, I'm not sure. Can't really test it though. It doesn't send live things through, just their soul and chakra. And any weapons or clothing."

"That's specific," Shikamaru said, yawning.

Karin shrugged. "Best I could manage. It does leave a corpse behind, so it'd mean you could 'die' on a mission, and they'd bring your dead body back as proof."

"No communication?" Shikamaru drawled, closing his eye again.

"We have an idea," Sakura offered. "But it still needs a lot of work. Basically, there are two scrolls, one with you, the other here. They are both the same scroll, and not. Anything written on one will be written on the other. Theoretically there could be a bunch of secondary seals, so you could talk to one person instead of just talking and hoping that they're there and can see."

"The execution is what leaves much to be desired," Karin said, eyebrows furrowing as she frowned. She offered Shikamaru a scroll. "See if Naruto makes anything of it."

"I'll drop it by him," Shikamaru said, sighing and taking the scroll. "I should be going."

They waved, and Shikamaru walked through the seal to get to the outside of the cave.

The outside of the seal was hidden well inside a natural cave, so when Shikamaru walked out of it in the morning, it wasn't suspicious, as it was a perfectly fine place to take shelter for the night. They had counted on that, and that was how all hideouts were hidden. Hidden enough to not be suspicious, and hidden enough that no one accidentally stumbled across them.

His mission completed, Shikamaru walked back into Konoha. He noted his completed mission, passed Karin's scroll onto Naruto, and went home for a nap. He was feeling actually tired more and more often now, Danzo was driving his shinobi hard, insisting they keep on top of normal missions on top of rebuilding Konoha.

Heck, he couldn't remember the last time he sat down and played a leisurely game of shogi against someone. Probably before his father's death. His father, along with the other two parts of his generation's Ino-Shika-Cho had been killed on a particularly bad mission. They hadn't gotten help there fast enough. His mother was filling in for clan head, along with Ino and Choji's mothers. Shikamaru suspected they were getting more done then their husbands ever did.

He was woken in the middle of the night by Naruto. "Psst, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru raised his head lazily to look at Naruto. "What."

"Danzo. He's going to accuse you of treason and have you executed," he hissed.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "Karin's seal?"

Naruto shrugged. "As ready as I think it can be. The communication is also about as good as it's going to get. C'mon, I got a mission for us, we leave now. You'll come back as a dead body."

Shikamaru sighed, dragging himself out of his bed, and following Naruto. He was already packed from his earlier mission, no need to dawdle.

They walked right out of the gates, Izumo and Kotetsu nodding once to Shikamaru, apparently already knowing he wouldn't come back alive.

They traveled as quickly as they could manage, reaching Sakura and Karin's hideout in two days.

"Hello again," Sakura said, mildly amused as they walked into the cave through the seal.

"Danzo wants me dead officially," Shikamaru said. "He intends to mark me a traitor and execute me as soon as I get back."

"So you won't," Karin finished, watching Naruto bring out the scroll she'd made.

Shikamaru nodded calmly.

Karin quickly scanned the seal, nodding when she finished. "It should work fine. Shikamaru, get over here."

Shikamaru cracked open an eye, then stood up and sat down next to the scroll.

"We have to draw these designs on your arms," Naruto said, almost apologetically. "They should disappear once they're done doing their job."

"What's their job?" Shikamaru asked, surveying the designs laid out on the scroll next to him.

"They tie your chakra and soul and mind together, along with a very slight link to the scroll you'll be going with," Karin explained quickly. "Do you have a scroll with clothing? I'm pretty sure that your clothes will be going with you, and I'm assuming you didn't want your dead body to be naked when we bring it back."

Shikamaru sighed in agreement, pulling out a scroll with extra clothing in it. You never knew when you might have to walk into some place after killing people, so it was best to have an extra set of clothing so you didn't turn up covered in blood. He unsealed the clothes, and Naruto took them. "Alright. Do you want a brief explanation about the scrolls?"

Shikamaru nodded, offering his arms for Naruto to draw on.

"So, you'll have one, and we'll have one here in this cave," Naruto started, holding up two scrolls once he'd finished inking the seals onto Shikamaru's arms. A band at his wrist, and a band above his elbow. "The one staying here will be linked to me, the one going with you will be linked to you. I'm the least likely to die, so that's why."

"You two and the scrolls will function as anchor points allowing us to be connected to where you're going. If one person or thing is taken out, either dead or destroyed, the other three can hold the connection, but the scroll or person needs to be replaced or the whole thing falls apart," Karin continued. "Theoretically, we can use the seal once more to send another connected scroll through, but it's a heavy maybe."

"Understood," Shikamaru said, accepting the scroll Naruto handed him.

"If your scroll is destroyed, there is a fail safe that makes it so the words written on our scroll will appear on your forearms until such time as we can get a copy of the seal across to you so that you can recreate your scroll." Karin quickly turned away as Shikamaru lay back onto the scroll. Sakura did the same, but continued sharpening the tanto she was carrying.

"Anything else will have to be communicated by scroll, we're kinda short on time, so good luck, have a safe trip, and don't die!" Naruto said quickly, placing his hands on the seal next to Shikamaru's shoulders, and channeling chakra.

"Good bye," Shikamaru managed, before blackness over took his vision and he passed out.

**(A/N) And that's it! Like TTDS, it does have an accompanying story, one that remains in the Danzo ridden world. That will be posted probably when this is finished, should anyone remain interested then. Place any questions about what I did with different people in the comments, and I'll answer them. Questions about the scrolls and everything else will also be answered. **


	2. Chapter 2

He woke up staring at his bedroom ceiling. There were still clouds painted on it, so he was probably around 2-3. For his fourth birthday, he'd gotten his ceiling repainted into the night sky.

… He may be able to prevent the Hyuuga incident. Depending on the time, he may be able to stop Hizashi's death.

First things first, it wasn't morning yet, but would be soon, so he had to figure out what to do with his clothes. And the scroll. At this size, the scroll was longer than his entire arm. He couldn't just carry it around.

His bed wasn't a crib, most ninja clan children went from a crib to a bed around one and a half to two years old, but he still couldn't shove them under the bed, as cliche as that would be. A storage seal may work, but he was pretty sure that he needed to be able to see the scroll at most times of the day, not just tuck it into a storage seal and hide it in his blankets. Or in that stuffed animal he remembered hiding most things in at this age.

He would have to deal with it later. First things first, informing them he had made it safely and with the scroll.

Shikamaru sat up, rolling out of his bed to pad softly across the room to his desk, before grabbing a pencil and going back to his bed. He opened the scroll to find a message already there.

"_Naruto had to leave, and Karin's sleeping." -Sakura_

Shikamaru glanced suspiciously towards the door, checking his parents were still sleeping, not that no lights on really meant anything.

"_I have arrived safely." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh thank Kami!" -Sakura_

"_On the plus side, I got to stab your corpse." -Sakura_

Shikamaru blinked at the scroll. That was a plus side? He quickly wrote that down.

"_It's stabbing, always a plus side. So, I got an instruction manual scroll for the two scrolls, kami knows when Naruto managed to write this up, so any questions can be asked of me. For now." -Sakura_

"_There is a limited amount of space on the scrolls, how will it work once it's filled up?" -Shikamaru_

"_One moment." -Sakura_

Shikamaru waited, checking the door one more time. Still no lights.

"_Alright, so I guess when we reach the bottom, it'll wipe itself clean. Then we can start over. I would suggest writing important stuff down somewhere else." -Sakura_

"_Alright. Thank you." -Shikamaru_

"_Anything else?" -Sakura_

"_No, so I think I'll find a hiding place for this and go to sleep." -Shikamaru_

"_Haha, sounds like you. Alright, have fun sleeping Shika." -Sakura_

Shikamaru rolled up the scroll, ending up tucking it into the stuffed animal he'd always hidden things in as a kid. He knew his parents hadn't ever actually checked in it, but he fished a seal out of his kunai pouch and stuck it on there anyway. Simple alarm seal, Naruto had drawn it, of course, so it really wasn't that simple, but still.

He did end up going to sleep, but was awake a few hours later, at dawn. He tried to go to sleep, but it was futile. He didn't sleep quite as much, couldn't really afford to. Darn, well, he was awake now, he could see if any one on his old world's side was awake, try and pass the hours before he would normally get up at this age, or rather, when his mom forced him up, or he could pretend he had a nightmare and just get up now.

His stomach rumbled impatiently at him, and Shikamaru yawned in mild annoyance. Fine, nightmare it was. He should probably fabricate a normal nightmare for a two year old.

He knew Choji at this age, didn't he, he could settle for seeing Choji die. That should be a perfectly fine excuse for a two year old Nara to actually get out of bed.

Mind made up, Shikamaru got out of his bed, neatly arranging the blankets to hide his old uniform, getting dressed quickly, and padded out of the room, cursing the cold floors.

"Shikamaru?" His mother asked, looking up as he entered the kitchen.

Shikamaru yawned, rubbing his eye. "Had a nightmare."

"Aww, c'mere," his mother cooed, crouching down to offer to pick him up.

Shikamaru, even if he was 16 mentally, decided to keep up pretending to be a toddler, and accepted his mother's picking him up and placing him on her hip. Besides, this way, he didn't have to walk.

"Now, I know you don't like boiled eggs," his mother said, pulling out a plate from the cupboard. "But I'm sure you'll survive."

Shikamaru didn't deign to answer, instead yawning again and settling his head on her shoulder.

He doubted he could hide from his father for very long, his father was more intelligent than he was, no matter how many people disagreed with him. Also, he was a toddler, he could only do so much. If he told his father, it would go one of two ways, he would get tossed into T&I and brutally tortured, or his father would believe him and he'd be fine. Hopefully the second one, if he provided enough explanation, probably the least he'd get was Inoichi in his head for a bit to confirm his story. If he played his cards right, he would be able to keep it just between him, his father, and Inoichi.

Absently he started eating the food his mother had placed in front of him after she set him down. His father wouldn't be up yet, but Inoichi might be. Although he couldn't just go straight to Inoichi. His father is more intelligent, more likely to believe him if he shows no signs of lying, if he has all his facts correct. Although Inoichi is softer, probably less likely to toss him to T&I, but he wouldn't trust Shikamaru in the way his father would. His father would listen, would trust, Inoichi, although he knows the intelligence of Nara, would be blindsided by the fact that Shikamaru is, only a toddler. Physically, at least.

Briefly, he wondered if his mental avatar was of his old body, or of this one. Perhaps having it be the older him, how old he is mentally, would make it easier for Inoichi to believe him. Although that is assuming that Inoichi bothers to do his mind walking jutsu at all.

He realized his mother was looking at him with some amusement, and remembered that his thinking position and expression mostly looked like he was falling asleep. He had forcefully shifted it with a touch of Inoichi's help so he had a less telling, well, tell for when he went into deep thought around Danzo, who got suspicious anytime anyone even looked at him funny.

"Why don't we get you back to bed," his mother suggested softly.

Shikamaru briefly and quickly considered letting his mother put him back to bed. And decided against it. His father would probably be up soon, his work as a jounin commander not letting him sleep quite as much as he liked. "No thank you, don't want the nightmares to reoccur."

"Alright dear," his mother said doubtfully. "If you say so."

Shikamaru moved his long empty plate aside, putting his head down on the table. He just had to wait for his father to wake up and finish eating breakfast.

His father came down a few minutes later, interrupting Shikamaru's listing of the questions he would need to ask next time he could access the scroll.

"Shikamaru, why are you up?" His father asked, clear confusion in his tired voice.

Shikamaru raised his head to look at him. "Nightmare. Can I talk to you later?" Checking to see his mother wasn't looking, he quickly swapped to ANBU hand signs. 'It's important.'

His father's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but before he could do anything, his mother set a plate in front of him, and it was interrupted. Shikaku quickly ate, then collected both his and Shikamaru's plates, practically glaring at his son the entire time. Shikamaru looked back calmly, making sure not to give the game away.

"You can," his father said finally, gesturing to Shikamaru to follow him.

Shikamaru was glad he'd thought to get dressed, but left off his socks. "I'll just get on my socks."

His father nodded, and Shikamaru walked back to his room, only hurrying slightly. He pulled on a pair of socks, then found a storage scroll in his old uniform, sealed his old uniform away, along with the stuffed deer he'd placed the communication seal inside. He tucked the scroll into one of his back pockets, securing it with chakra before hurrying downstairs. "Ready," he said, stopping behind his father.

Yoshino sighed. "Be back before dinner, and make sure to eat a healthy lunch!"

Shikaku nodded quickly, ushering Shikamaru out of the door.

They walked for a while, ending up at the Yamanaka's house. Inoichi answered the door, looking rather confused.

His father began signing, Shikamaru easily keeping up. 'I'm going to need you for something. Classified, and right now.'

Inoichi nodded, flashing the affirmative sign at him, before calling back into the house that he had to leave now. Petulant whines from what sounded like Ino, had Shikamaru suppressing a snicker. He'd forgotten just how much of a daddy's girl she'd been at this age.

They ended up in T&I, in Inoichi's office.

"I have to ask you to trust me," Shikamaru started. "And not to interrupt me very much, or we'll be here all day."

His father and Inoichi narrowed their eyes in sync, but nodded.

Shikamaru took a deep breath, then began. "I come from approximately 13 years in the future. Not this world's future, but another world's future."

"What was so bad you had to come back?" Inoichi asked, glancing at Shikaku.

"Danzo," Shikamaru said darkly.

"Danzo Shimura? The council member?" Shikaku asked this time, eyes narrowing at the venom Shikamaru's voice held.

"Do you know any other?" Shikamaru asked bitterly. "He took advantage of the aftermath of an invasion to kill our Hokage, then kill the other kage at the following kage summit."

Shikamaru smiled a grim smile at the dark expressions of his father and Inoichi. He had allies, if he could prove it. "The kage's family members and students were swiftly executed when possible. We got as many as we could out, but multiple didn't make it in time."

"There is an organized resistance?" Inoichi asked.

Shikamaru nodded. "Naruto led it, I was the chief tactician. Everyone helped where they could, gathering information and using people going outside of the village to get that information to everyone in hiding. We're using a bunch of underground caves a couple of the hiding Iwa Shinobi helped us find and modify to our needs. They're extremely difficult to find, so everyone's about as safe as they can be."

"And no one stopped him after he killed the Hokage?" Inoichi asked, frowning deeply.

"They couldn't really. He blamed it on a forign assassin, and I was just a chuunin then. I had no sway in anything. So I kept it to myself, and made everyone I told do the same. They couldn't do anything or they would be killed. Sakura and Kakashi, along with Konohamaru and the Hokage's guards, the ones trained by Minato, fled the next night."

"Konohamaru?" Inoichi asked.

"The Hokage's grandson, I guess he isn't born yet, is he. Either way, they fled just in time. Danzo called for their deaths the next day."

"And we were unable to do anything?" Shikaku asked, eyes narrowed.

Shikamaru sighed. "The Hyuuga clan were on his side. Any other clan couldn't oppose Danzo without extreme risk from the Hyuuga clan."

"And the other clans? The Aburame, the Uchiha?" Inoichi asked.

"The Nara weren't happy, but Danzo mostly dismissed us as too lazy to do anything. The Yamamaka protested quietly, but were ultimately sent off with a severe warning. The Akimichi kept quiet, supporting the people who fled with food scrolls. The Aburame and Inuzuka remained quiet, but are subtly rebelling where they can."

"And the Uchiha?" Inoichi prodded.

"Dead. In about 5 years, they will be executed by one of their own, Itachi Uchiha, under orders of Danzo and the Hokage. They had been planning a coup, and apparently, there was no other way out of it."

"I don't believe that," Shikaku disagreed. "There are almost always better options than manslaughter."

**(A/N) Almost always indeed. Except in that case, apparently. **


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N) Continuing this conversation. **

Shikamaru shrugged helplessly. "Danzo seemed to disagree with that statement. Using the people he most wanted dead in the villages, he sent them on suicidal missions. You two and Chouza were ordered to kill Deidara, an Akatsuki member. He blew himself, and you three, plus the rest of those on the mission, sky high."

"Who led after our deaths?" Inoichi asked.

"Your wives. They did a good job. Or, they are," Shikamaru replied, yawning.

"And your proof of all of this?" Shikaku said finally.

Shikamaru pulled out the storage scroll, unsealing the contents, and blushing slightly when they both raised an eyebrow at him for the stuffed deer. He quickly pulled the scroll out of the deer, pushing the deer back into the seal. "This was my old uniform, and the scroll allows me to contact my original world and time."

"How does it work," Shikaku asked, surveying the scroll cautiously.

"By a seal. I'm no seal master, I don't understand it," Shikamaru admitted. "Naruto designed it."

"Took after both parents, did he?" Inoichi asked softly, amusement crossing his face briefly.

"I would say he did," Shikamaru agreed. "Never did manage the Hiraishin, but one of our other friends is really close."

"Good, he doesn't need to be a clone of his father, even if he acts far more like his mother," Inoichi laughed, but quickly settled down. "Can you contact someone now?"

Shikaku stopped poking at the scroll reluctantly, allowing his son to open it up to an empty spot on the scroll.

Shikamaru pulled a pencil from a pocket on his old uniform before shoving it aside to get a better angle so his father and Inoichi could see, and he could still write.

"_Sakura?" -Shikamaru_

"_It's Karin, Sakura's sleeping. We've been sleeping in shifts so someone's always awake to answer." -Karin_

"_I have my father and Inoichi here, I told them of the situation." -Shikamaru_

"_Good plan, you're what, four?" -Karin_

"_Two or three." -Shikamaru_

"Three, you are currently three, Shikamaru," Shikaku drawled.

"_Whatever. Either way, they'll have more political sway. Maybe they can stop the Uchiha incident." -Karin_

"_Was thinking that." -Shikamaru_

While Karin was writing her reply, Inoichi took the opportunity to look at Shikamaru. "What do you expect us to do about the Uchiha massacre?"

"For one, you're clan heads. The Uchiha were planning a coup because they felt there was no other way to get attention or respect. Many people sort of blamed the Kyuubi attack on them, and they were resentful for that. They were ostracized. With both the Nara and Yamanaka clans reaching out to better integrate them into the village, with any luck, we'll stop it before a coup even becomes an idea."

"And the Akimichi will follow our lead," Shikaku agreed, narrowing his eyes as Karin finished up her writing.

"_Oh, so Tenten's actually sleeping right now, but she had a mission over here, and came to deliver news. You know how the elder Ino-Shika-Cho was killed by Deidara? Well, apparently, Danzo thought it would be a good idea to straight up attempt to destroy Ame. Most of the people did get out, so there's that to feel better about, but Kisame Hoshigaki, the blue fish guy? Yeah, he died letting Itachi, Tobi, and Zetsu get the other civies and ninja out. Itachi and Tobi are residing at a newly found hideout near Ame, and I don't know what Zetsu's doing." _

"Itachi?" Shikaku asked, eyes narrowing. "They're just letting him room with them?"

"At this point," Shikamaru said tiredly. "We're saving anyone we can get our hands on. And who knows, he may be useful in taking down Danzo once and for all."

"_Can we get a subset of these scrolls over to him?" -Shikamaru_

"_We will need every scrap of information about the massacre we can get." -Shikamaru_

"_We'll see, I'll discuss it with Tenten, and if Naruto comes out this way again, I'll discuss it with him. Or get Tenten to do it remotely. Give us a few weeks, and maybe we'll get back to you." -Karin_

"_Give it a few hours, and both Sakura and Tenten should be awake." -Karin_

"_Alright." -Shikamaru_

"Any other questions?" Shikamaru asked his father and Inoichi.

They looked at each other for a long moment, then shook their heads. "I would like to check out your head at some point in the near future," Inoichi said. "If we could schedule a time to do that, it would be appreciated."

Shikamaru nodded. "Dad, you know my schedule, or lack thereof, you can plan it." With that out of the way, Shikamaru laid his head down on his arms and fell asleep. He would take sleep when he got it, and it was apparently far enough past dawn he could take a nap.

He woke up in his own bed, not caring in the slightest his father had dropped him off at home, as his deer stuffed animal had been set next to his pillow, a note taped to its forehead.

_Shikamaru_

_I placed the uniform back in the scroll, then placed both scrolls inside the deer. We will talk when I get back home._

_Shikaku_

It didn't really bother Shikamaru that his father had signed with his name, he was used to it, many shinobi, once they had reached the same rank as their parents, just sort of gave up on using anything but their names while on duty. Or ceased using 'mom' and 'dad' completely.

Shikamaru supposed it was a sort of growing up thing. You left mom and dad behind, and became their equal.

He glanced out of his bedroom window, noting that he'd been sleeping for a couple of hours. Sakura and Tenten might be awake, and he could ask a couple of questions that had been bothering him.

He pulled out the scroll, finding a pencil. He quickly drew a little deer instead of bothering to ask if anyone was awake and/or paying attention.

He was quickly answered.

"_Hello Shikamaru." -Sakura_

"_I assume you arrived safely then?" -Tenten_

"_I did." -Shikamaru. _

"_I would guess you have a couple of questions." -Karin_

"_Yes. For one, you said the seals on my arms bound my chakra to my soul and mind. Was there a reason for that." -Shikamaru_

"_The intention was to allow you to access your own chakra, as a sort of secondary system, lying fairly dormant underneath your kid body's chakra. Still build up your current body's chakra, but you have an extra store to draw from when things get dire." -Karin_

"_We're pretty sure we succeeded." -Sakura_

"_And I checked over the seals, and I'm pretty sure they'll do what Karin says they should do." -Tenten_

"_Is it any different from accessing chakra normally?" -Shikamaru_

"_We can't tell you that. We don't know." -Karin_

"_But do try it and get back to us!" -Sakura_

Shikamaru chuckled slightly.

"_When I bother dredging up the desire to do it, I will. Troublesome." -Shikamaru_

They didn't reply for a while, and Shikamaru imagined them laughing, leaning against each other laughing their heads off in a way they hadn't in at least a year. A little drawing of a laughing person agreed with that.

"_Alright, we'll leave you to it." -Sakura_

"_And we'll keep working on a seal to increase the number of people you can talk to." -Tenten_

"_Itachi and Tobi first." -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah. Of course." -Tenten_

"_Ak, it's getting late, I have to leave and actually complete my mission." -Tenten_

"_Talk to you again sometime." -Shikamaru_

"_What's your actual plan for the Hyuuga incident?" -Sakura_

"_A guard near Hinata's room that isn't a Hyuuga. Preferably an Uchiha, if not, a Nara or Kurama. Someone who can stop the Kumo nin, but not kill him." -Shikamaru_

"_Would any Uchiha be willing to do that? Stand guard outside the Hyuuga princess's bedroom? Or worse, would the Hyuuga accept that?" -Sakura_

"_Don't most Hyuuga have sticks up their butts?" -Karin_

"_Yes. Hinata being an exception." -Shikamaru_

"_And don't most, if not all Uchiha have sticks up their butts too?" -Karin_

"_As far as I know, yes. Itachi may know one or two that don't. That are hopefully able to look past their long rivalry with the Hyuuga to prevent a freaking disaster. Troublesome." -Shikamaru_

"_I was about to suggest asking Sasuke. Then I remembered he's dead." -Sakura_

"_And you felt the need to write that why?" -Shikamaru_

"_No reason I suppose." -Sakura_

"_Well, I'm going to eat something, then sleep." -Karin_

"_Do try out using chakra while I'm asleep, Shikamaru." -Karin_

"_No promises." -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru rolled up the scroll, tucking it into his back pocket, and leaving his room. Perhaps they were right, he should try using both this body's chakra, and his original chakra. By chakra exercises, of course. He didn't feel like using a jutsu right now.

He'd have to talk to his father about the guard later, when he got back from work. Perhaps his father could manage to convince Hiruzen to do it by saying something about Kumo wanting the Byakugan, and Hinata is a young unsealed girl, she would make the most sense, should Kumo betray them. If not, better safe than sorry. Yes, that should work.

He ended up in a clearing in the Nara forest. He was pretty sure it was the clearing he had buried Hidan in his other world.

He set the scroll down, placing his foot on a tree. He reached inward, finding first this body's chakra, small, weak, hardly used, then reaching deeper, he found his own, far larger and more controlled. He tapped into the second one. There would be time for increasing this body's chakra reserves later.


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N) Right, so that whole 'secondary chakra system' thing is my version of this kind of time travel. Deal with it. Also Itachi has pretty handwriting, fight me. **

He walked up the tree easily, so he returned to the ground to fetch the scroll, then returned to lay down on one of the branches. The deer would fetch him if his mother wanted him, otherwise, no one would disturb him here. It was the Nara clan forest, no one but the Nara came here without permission.

"_My chakra is fine, my old chakra, that is." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh, goodie!" -Sakura_

"_Tree walking?" -Sakura_

"_Yeah, I can build up this body's chakra reserves later, but my own reserves are fine, and fully recovered." -Shikamaru_

"_From what Tenten said, that seems like something of a precious commodity, full chakra reserves." -Sakura_

"_Yes, unfortunately." -Shikamaru _

"_Sounds annoying. I've just been pushing chakra into my Strength of a Hundred seal. It's almost ready." -Sakura_

"_That's good. If you do end up going out with a chance of death, write down the seal and its workings. We don't want that technique to disappear." -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah, already writing it down. Slow going though." -Sakura_

"_And I'm teaching it to Karin. She's improving it, I think. So, it's a seal, right? I think she's using cursed sealing techniques to adapt hers to fit herself. It looks a bit weird, but I think she's almost done and ready to draw it on herself." -Sakura_

"_That's good, you guys will need everything you can get." -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah. We're even working willingly with the remnants of Akatsuki." -Sakura_

"_So you have said." -Shikamaru_

There was a long pause, and Shikamaru assumed she'd gotten distracted. He used the opportunity to climb up a bit higher in the tree, hiding himself more fully in the foliage.

"_Sorry, Zetsu just… sorta poked out of the wall… it was weird." -Sakura_

"_What did he want?" -Shikamaru _

"_I think he was just checking in, he mentioned something about doing rounds. I asked him to tell Tobi and Itachi about your situation, along with everyone else, of course, and to see if there was a way to talk to them." -Sakura_

"_Good. I wanted to ask Itachi about good Uchiha that would probably accept a guard position outside of the Hyuuga compound for a night." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh! One moment Shikamaru, sorry!" -Sakura_

Shikamaru waited patiently. He assumed Zetsu had reappeared, given the sudden interruption. That theory was quickly proven wrong.

"_Sorry Shikamaru, apparently Tobi has some sort of teleportation jutsu. So, he and Itachi are here now." -Sakura_

"_Hello." -Itachi_

He had very pretty handwriting, Shikamaru would give him that. Not too loopy, but almost delicate.

"_Hello. May I ask a question regarding the Uchiha?" -Shikamaru_

"_You may." -Itachi_

"_I plan to have my father request an Uchiha guard hidden where the Kumo ambassador eventually will go with his captive Hinata. Hopefully, the Uchiha will be able to stop him, but not kill him." -Shikamaru_

"_Do you know of any Uchiha that would be open to doing that?" -Shikamaru_

"_A couple. Mostly cousins. My elder cousin Shisui may work, as of right now, I believe he is a genin, but is known as Shunshin no Shisui." -Itachi _

"_I remember him from a bingo book." -Shikamaru_

He'd gotten his hands on a bingo book when he was about five years old. Another village's bingo book, Kiri, to be specific. His father had accidentally left it lying around. He'd flipped through it.

"_Either way, he is fully capable at that age, and he's more approachable than most of my relatives. He is most likely to accept the position." -Itachi_

"_I'll tell my father, thank you Itachi." -Shikamaru_

"_No problem." -Itachi_

"_All questions answered for now?" -Sakura_

"_Yeah. Tell Tobi thank you for me." -Shikamaru_

"_I will." -Sakura_

"_Have to go, the deer want me for something." -Shikamaru_

"_Talk to you later." -Sakura_

Shikamaru closed the scroll, tucking it back into his pocket and walking back down the tree.

"Does my mother want me?" He asked the deer quietly.

A stag, sharp antlers gleaming in the dim light, nodded to him, and Shikamaru bowed slightly back. The stag was the head of the herd, old and wise. At almost 10 years old, he was the oldest in the herd, and the most powerful.

Shikamaru turned and hurried out of the forest, finding his mother quickly.

"There you are Shikamaru! Come on, we need to get stuff for dinner. Your father's going to be home before dinner, so we're making his favorite dish."

Shikamaru dragged his feet a little, but followed his mother to the market, allowed her to push a couple of bags of groceries on him, and then followed her back home.

He ended up napping at the table, while his mother cooked.

His father came home right before his mother finished cooking. He flashed ANBU hand signs at Shikamaru. 'Tomorrow, I'll take you to work with me. He'll do it then.'

Shikamaru nodded, then turned his head to go back to sleep.

"Get up and set the table, both of you!" His mother shouted from the kitchen.

The two male Nara groaned in unison and muttered, "troublesome," before getting up to set the table. One did not disobey Yoshino Nara.

Shikamaru checked the scroll as he was settling into bed.

"_Sakura fell asleep, I'm awake now." -Karin_

Shikamaru hummed. They had a weird sleeping schedule.

"_I'll be sleeping now as well." -Shikamaru_

"_Alright, have a good night! Sleep tight and avoid nightmares!" -Karin_

"_Night." -Shikamaru_

He rolled up the scroll, storing it back in the deer.

He fell asleep quickly, debating whether to change his ceiling early or not.

He was awake at dawn again. This time, however, he did have an excuse. He woke up to his father opening the door.

Shikamaru yawned in greeting. Shikaku yawned back.

"I'll be down in a moment," Shikamaru said after a moment. Shikaku nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Shikamaru started cursing the cold floor silently again, remembering why, in his universe, he put carpet in his room. He got dressed quickly, checking the scroll and noting the cherry blossom drawing underneath his last message. So Sakura was awake now, good to know.

He rolled the scroll back up, tucking it into the storage scroll, and then tucking that into the back of his pants, pulling his shirt over it so it was hidden.

He padded down to where his father greeted him with a bowl of miso soup for breakfast and a spoon.

"Your mother is sleeping, eat quickly, and we'll go meet Inoichi."

Shikamaru nodded, sitting down at the table and quickly eating the thin soup. He finished it quickly, placing the bowl in the sink and following his father out of the compound.

Inoichi was waiting for them in his office in T&I. "Shikaku, Shikamaru." He greeted. He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk. It had been cleared of paper work. Said paper was sitting in the corner, and looked like it was on timeout.

"Good morning Inoichi," Shikaku said, yawning.

Shikamaru nodded, sitting on the stack of cushions on the chair directly in front of Inoichi.

"I'm assuming you know what I'll be doing?" Inoichi asked Shikamaru.

Shikamaru inclined his head. "Ino practiced it on me many times."

Inoichi inclined his head, hands forming seals. Shikamaru leaned back, getting into a comfortable position. Shikaku moved lazily so he would catch Inoichi's head when he passed out.

Inoichi finished the symbol chain, and slumped foreward, Shikamaru's eyes closing on their own.

He opened his eyes to find his mindscape, appearing much like a Konoha file room. Mostly well lit, with the exception of a dark shadowy corner.

"It's very organized," Inoichi noted.

Shikamaru nodded, glancing down at himself for a moment, before looking back at Inoichi.

Inoichi glanced at him, and frowned. "You're just 16." And he was. Shikamaru barely looked 16, but had a jounin vest on, along with a bright orange band with a Konoha symbol on it wrapped around his upper arm. "You're a jounin? And what's with the orange band?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Made jounin just after your deaths. The orange band was a marker for those who knew of and were helping the resistance. Orange was-is, Naruto's favorite color. What do you want to see?"

"What you know about Tsunade's death. If you don't mind."

Shikamaru blinked slowly, then glanced towards a darker area of the room. "Over here."

They moved through the cabinets, the surrounding area getting darker. Inoichi frowned worriedly. Usually, this was only seen in ANBU agents, not teenagers. Even jounin level ones. The dark area of a mindscape usually signaled some sort of memory the person wanted to forget, but couldn't. Hence why it was usually seen with ANBU agents.

Shikamaru hadn't said much about the missions he personally had been on, mostly giving them the basics of what happened between this time, and the time his world was at. Inoichi supposed the missions had been bloodier then he had originally thought.

"Here we are," Shikamaru said, stopping at a cabinet wreathed in darkness. He rooted through one of the drawers for a bit, coming up with a single file. He motioned for Inoichi to step back, which he did, and tossed the file through the air.

The file stopped in the air, opening up into a screen.

_Shikamaru stops on a roof top directly across from Tsunade's hospital room. He glances over to look in. _

Inoichi was surprised. Tsunade looked so small in the hospital bed, old and wrinkled, no chakra left to keep up the near constant genjutsu she usually had on. It was kinda sad.

_A shadow detaches from the wall inside the hospital room, and Shikamaru frowns, stepping across the roof._

_The shadow abruptly slits Tsunade's throat, and Shikamaru lunges across the rooftop, crashing through the window, landing right on top of the shadow, revealing a blank mask._

Inoichi glanced to Shikamaru for an explanation.

"Root. Danzo's personal ANBU guard."

Inoichi frowned deeply. "How long has that been going on?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "A long time. Unsure if it began during Lord Fourth, or Sarutobi's reign."

Inoichi raised his eyebrow. "Not showing any respect for our Hokage?"

"With all due respect, Inoichi," Shikamaru said, shaking his head, "He lost any respect when he let Danzo continue unchecked. The rot had spread far, far enough Danzo was able to take over all four other major countries with little difficulty."

Inoichi frowned, but gestured for the memory to continue.

_Shikamaru abruptly snaps the man's neck, leaping off him to check on Tsunade. The wound was too deep, and with so little chakra she couldn't heal it herself. It was too late, she was dead. _

_Shikamaru's eyes burn with tears, and he leaps out of the window again, racing off to tell the others. They wouldn't follow Danzo if he could help it. Even Naruto wouldn't, couldn't ignore something like killing Tsunade. Not even for all the 'love' in the world. Also, it wouldn't be good to be found at the scene of Tsunade's death. _

**(A/N) Sorry, but it needed to be shown. Also the Nara yawning as greetings is something you can pry from my cold dead hands. Fight me. Sorry, I'm tired. **


	5. Chapter 5

Inoichi could see why it was in the dark section of Shikamaru's mind. "Thank you. If you wouldn't mind one more."

Shikamaru heaved a sigh, but nodded.

"When you found out about the Kyuubi."

Shikamaru blinked, and headed for another section, this one brighter, the cabinets in a rainbow of pastel shades. Probably his childhood memories. Or perhaps the time before his first kill.

Shikamaru took a folder, tossing it in front of Inoichi to view the memory.

_Shikamaru sneaks into his father's study, after a long day of watching Naruto from the shadows. He finds what he needs on his father's shelves, a book on Konoha's history. He opens it, flicking through pages to land on a page depicting Mito Uzumaki, the fearsome Kyuubi behind her. _

"_Mito Uzumaki, Wife to the first Hokage, first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune," Shikamaru read out loud quietly to himself. _

"I already knew the word Jinchuuriki, had figured it out the week prior. I learned it because I had seen the word in the Kiri bingo book I borrowed and memorized," Shikamaru explained. "Kyuubi was checked off as just another version of the Rokubi in the book. Nine-tails and six-tails."

Inoichi nodded to show his understanding, and the memory continued.

_Shikamaru reads farther in the book, flipping ahead to find right before the Fourth Hokage's reign. "A young girl was sent from the allied nation of Uzushio to take over the burden Mito had held most of her life." Shikamaru pauses reading, hopping up to pick another book off the shelf. _

_He plops down on the floor, opening the book to show a page with a list of Uzumaki in Konoha. Mito Uzumaki was top of the list in bright red, Kushina Uzumaki the only other name in that color of ink. _

"I knew this Kushina Uzumaki had to be the girl that took over the Kyuubi, because she was the only other name written in red ink. She was also the only referenced Uzumaki."

Inoichi was appalled. They really should've hid the fact Kushina had been a jinchuuriki better if a five-year-old could figure it out. A five-year-old genius Nara, but still a five-year-old.

"Since Naruto has been called Demon Child many times during the period I was watching him, and Kushina was clearly not alive, Naruto had to be the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki." The folder folded itself back up, it's job done. "And I couldn't find any other living Uzumaki in Konoha, not that went by that name anyway. So Naruto it had to be. I did exactly what you would think I would do, and ignored it until Naruto deigned to actually inform us of it." Shikamaru took the folder, tucking it back into its place. "Would that be all?"

Inoichi nodded. "Thank you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru automatically slouched. "It's no problem. Shall we go back out to my dad?"

Inoichi nodded and dissolved the jutsu.

Shikamaru sat up in his chair, staring at his tiny hands in dismay. He had so much growing to do. Troublesome.

"Well, I don't have much to do the rest of the day," Shikaku yawned as they left Inoichi to his work.

"You always have things to do," Shikamaru deadpanned.

"Nothing I can't pawn off on hapless chuunin," Shikaku revised tiredly. "Shoji match?"

Shikamaru hummed noncommittally.

All the same, they ended up at the shoji board that was permanently set up on the back porch.

"Are you able to tell me any more about your timeline?" Shikaku suggested after a few moves back and forth.

Shikamaru moved a piece slightly absently, thinking over his response. On one hand, it probably wouldn't hurt to tell his dad, and they were on Nara grounds, there were no ROOT here. The deer would eat them if they ever tried. On the other hand, did he really want his father knowing it all? He had kept the once over with Inoichi very vague for a good reason.

A few moves later, and Shikamaru was ready. "I suppose I could."

Shikaku nodded, happy to wait for him. He moved another piece, and Shikamaru internally smirked. His father was falling into the trap he had set.

"Kakashi and Sakura were some of the first to leave," Shikamaru began. "They left before Danzo was even back from the Kage Slaughter."

"I presume Danzo was not pleased?"

"He couldn't do anything about it," Shikamaru agreed. "They were gone, their headbands slashed and on his desk. He could only hunt them down as missing ninja then, but they disappeared."

"Where?"

"Onoki's granddaughter Kurotsuchi escaped as well, she located underground hideouts, Genma, Naruto, Tenten, and Kakashi worked together to create seals that acted as gateways to these hideouts. Later versions of the seal ensured it couldn't be seen by Hyuuga eyes, a necessary thing when the Hyuuga were allied with Danzo."

Shikaku frowned thoughtfully, moving a piece. "Who else was on who's side?"

"The Yamanaka were firmly allied with us, although couldn't exactly speak up much. Aburame were disregarded, although thoroughly disliked Danzo, Inuzuka were rather loud, but again, couldn't do anything."

"Akimichi?"

"Quietly supporting us," Shikamaru supplied. "They made food scrolls for the people in hiding. They were quite appreciative of it."

"And the Nara?"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes slightly as he caught the trap his father had set up, circumnavigating it with a move. "We weren't pleased, especially not after you and Inoichi and Chouza died, but what could we do. So we plotted. We are fearing he may try and pull an Uchiha massacre on us, but we have the forest."

"The deer will eat anyone who tries," Shikaku agreed, avoiding Shikamaru's own trap.

"And Naruto has been making seals to reinforce the forest," Shikamaru yawned, catching a glimpse of the carnivorous deer they kept in their forests. "Should he try anything, we're prepared. Nothing will happen."

"Good." Shikaku noted simply. "Checkmate."

Shikamaru moved one piece. "Checkmate."

"A tie," his father said, mildly impressed.

"I've tied against you many times," Shikamaru noted quietly. "Haven't won yet, but will one day."

"I have no doubt about that," Shikaku agreed, ruffling his son's hair. "Perhaps we should join your mother inside."

Shikamaru nodded tiredly, fixing his ponytail before following his father inside.

**(A/N) The Nara have carnivorous deer. It sounds awesome, and so they get carnivorous deer. Fight me. Or don't, I have sleep to get to. **


	6. Important

**(A/N) While this seems a somewhat surprising decision, I assure you it is anything but unthought out. I am, I'm afraid, under a lot of stress. I'm sorry I took so long to inform you, but I will be taking the month of June off from updating. I will be back in July, back with properly scheduled updates. Again, I am terribly sorry, I know you were probably looking forward to some updates, but I feel like I need to do this. No, there won't be an update tonight. I am sorry, but will see you again in July. This has been posted on all my stories, I apologize for the sudden slew of emails. **


	7. Chapter 6

**(A/N) Haha, finally, getting around to the Hyuuga mess. Or the start of fixing it anyway. Shisui is a very clumsy child. **

With over a week in this time, no new bad developments in his old one, and his father and Inoichi at his back, Shikamaru was feeling quite a bit better about his chances of stopping Danzo. Itachi had confirmed that his cousin was fully capable of keeping a secret, and if it would really help, Shikamaru would do well to tell him.

Currently, he was trying to track down one Shisui Uchiha. His father had confirmed that the teen was in the village, but now Shikamaru just had to figure out where. The teen was currently a chuunin, and as such wasn't going out on any long missions, but plenty advanced enough to accept the mission Shikamaru wanted him for. Protecting Hinata Hyuuga while the Kumo delegation was in town.

"Heard you were looking for me!" Shikamaru turned around to find Shisui Uchiha, grinning and waving. "Why's a little squirt from the Nara clan looking for me?"

Shikamaru blinked. He had not expected a cheerfully smiling Uchiha. Especially since he knew Itachi was friends with him. Also, Uchiha. Uchiha were not usually happy and smiling. "I wished to talk to you about something."

"Well, here I am," Shisui replied.

Shikamaru waited a moment, and when Shisui made no sign of moving, he sighed. "In private, preferably."

"Oooooh," Shisui said, nodding. "Right."

"Come on," Shikamaru sighed, heading right for his house. It'd be better to do it in the Nara clan forest, where he knew Danzo wouldn't have his fingers.

In their trek through the forest, Shisui ran into no less then five trees, tripped over two roots, and almost crashed into one of the predatory deer, that then scared him when it flashed sharp teeth at him.

Shikamaru wondered why on earth Itachi thought his cousin was a good idea. The guy was apparently not very smart, and rather clumsy. But if Itachi thought it was a good idea, who was Shikamaru to contest it. He didn't know the guy personally.

"So what's the kid of the jounin commander want with me?" Shisui wondered as they went deeper into the forest. "And what's so important that we're in the middle of the Nara Clan forests?"

Shikamaru was very done with him, and just threw the scroll at his face. Shisui caught it with no problem, tripped over a root, nearly slammed into a tree, and somehow managed not to die or knock himself out.

Shikamaru paused to let the Uchiha read the scroll.

Two minutes later, Shisui spoke up. "So you think I can prevent some sort of mess with Kumo?"

"Maybe you'll trip over him and knock him out," Shikamaru said sarcastically.

Shisui looked like he was going to protest, then thought better of it. "Right, and I can believe this how?"

Shikamaru took the scroll from him, pulling out a pen and starting to write.

"_Sakura, are you still awake?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah, why? Thought you were talking to Shisui." -Sakura_

"_I am, he wants proof, of course. And he isn't exactly a Yamanaka." -Shikamaru_

"_No, he's an Uchiha," -Sakura_

"_Even if Itachi says that that was occasionally debated among the cousins." -Sakura_

"Should I assume this 'Sakura' isn't an Uchiha?" Shisui asked, reading over his shoulder.

"Ask yourself," Shikamaru said, handing him the pen.

Shisui took it, shrugged, and joined the conversation.

"_Should I be assuming you aren't an Uchiha?" -Shisui_

"_Oh, hey Shisui! No, I'm not an Uchiha. I'm a Haruno. Maybe don't go find baby me though…" -Sakura_

Shisui glanced quizzically at Shikamaru.

"She was a fangirl up until like age 13 when Tsunade beat it out of her and Sasuke left the village." Shikamaru shrugged, taking the pencil back. Shisui's handwriting was not great, although Shikamaru was fairly sure that it was at least somewhat trained.

"_Is Itachi able to be contacted?" -Shikamaru_

"_Uh, maybe?" -Sakura_

A little drawn person shrugging appeared a moment later, and Shikamaru snorted at it.

"_I'll see if I can figure out where their cave is connected in the network. Tenten just finished it a few hours ago. She's almost done with Hiraishin, got the rudimentary version down, and is working on her own seal. Should be done in only a day or two." -Sakura_

"You have someone learning Hiraishin?" Shisui asked, looking quite excited.

"Yeah, Tenten, she's a sealmaster. She's mostly stuck working off of Genma's notes from what he remembered, and her own knowledge. She can't get her hands on either Minato's or Tobirama's notes, as they're locked in the vaults. It's been slow, but it seems she's finally got it."

"Woah," Shisui muttered.

"_Ah, here we go. Got to Itachi and Tobi's lair." -Sakura_

"_Sakura informed me you had Shisui on?" -Itachi_

"_Hey cousin!" -Shisui_

"_You're going to have to give him a moment." -Sakura_

"_He hasn't exactly seen you in like 8 years." -Sakura_

Shisui looked rather distressed. "I think I'll try not to leave my Itachi."

"We're trying to avoid that happening, yes." Shikamaru agreed.

"_You are 11, correct?" -Itachi_

"_Yeah, why?" -Shisui _

"_Merely wished for confirmation." -Itachi_

"_Stay away from Danzo if you can." -Itachi_

"_The village elder?" -Shisui_

"_The village elder." - Itachi_

"_Alright?" -Shisui. _

"Trust him," Shikamaru said, glaring at it as if it had offended him. "Danzo is a corrupt man and should have never been allowed to rise in power."

"Okay?" Shisui said, looking quite confused.

"Besides that, I trust you understand? My father will assign you the actual mission in a few days, once we convince the Hyuuga."

"Good luck with that," Shisui snorted.

Shikamaru noticed movement from the corner of his eye, and glanced at the scroll. Dark frantic writing was appearing on the scroll.

"_Shoot Shoot shoot! Tenten's gonna take you guys now, Danzo's trying to get the Nara clan!" -Sakura_

Shisui noticed his distraction and looked at the scroll as well. "What?"

Shikamaru quickly started writing.

"_What's going on? Is everyone evacuating?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah, we're getting everyone out before the entire compound goes up in flames. I have to be there to set up the protection seals. Naruto's out on a mission right now I think, so I'm doing it. I have the seals." -Tenten_

"What the heck is going on?" Shisui asked, staring at it in confusion.

"Danzo's trying to kill my clan in that universe," Shikamaru said, rather stressed. "Luckily we have the forest, and with Tenten and Naruto sealing it up, plus the carnivorous deer, they should be just fine. Theoretically."

"Seal masters are not to be trifled with," Shisui said solemnly.

"I grew up with two of 'em, I know that," Shikamaru muttered.

"_Is everyone safe?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah, I think we have everyone. Ooooh, shoot, that Hyuuga almost saw me. I have to return this to Sakura. Maybe I'll see you guys in a few days when I finish Hiraishin." -Tenten_

"_See you then." -Shikamaru_

"She seems cool." Shisui decided, grinning.

Shikamaru debated telling him that Tenten certainly wouldn't be able to meet him, let alone decide to go on a date with him. Shikamaru decided not to. Sue him he was feeling petty. "We should leave, you probably have things to do, and I have a nap to take."

"Alright," Shisui agreed easily.

**(A/N) I actually accomplished what I intended this chapter? *long gasp* Amazing. Anyway, Shisui totally hates me, **_**do you see what he's doing?**_ **So yeah, clearly he hates me. **


	8. Chapter 7

**(A/N) The Hyuuga mess! As Shikamaru is physically 3, he can't exactly see the mess, so we get Shisui's point of view for this chapter. Likely won't happen again, but was needed here. I apologize for this, but Shisui was feeling chatty. **

Shisui couldn't say he was exactly enthusiastic to spend the four nights that the Kumo nin were in Konoha waiting in the treetops near Hinata's bedroom and well within the Hyuuga clan limits, but he had to admit he was honored that Shikaku had picked him. He was barely a chuunin, and only 11 years old. Maybe he could ask about a jounin promotion after this.

"If you're gonna think that loudly find another tree," Shikamaru, his apparent new friend, groaned. Seriously, what was with Shisui and finding tiny traumatized geniuses? Ignoring the fact that technically he was one himself.

"I'm not thinking loudly," Shisui decided to protest.

"Yes you are," Shikamaru complained, placing an arm over his eyes. "Shaddup and let me sleep."

Shisui grunted in true Uchiha fashion, and went back to thinking. Sue him, he wasn't a Nara and was not capable of falling asleep in trees at a moment's notice.

Perhaps it would be good for him to pick up the jounin promotion, his parents weren't exactly in the best of health, and it would help him provide for them. It would mean longer missions, but it did also mean fewer graveyard shifts and fewer paperwork shifts. Both of which were boring as heck. He hated them, but who didn't.

On another hand, it may put him in Danzo's crosshairs. He'd already been in them, but he was more of a background target for reasons he didn't know but was thankful for. Itachi, unfortunately, was a top target, being traumatized early by his father, and already a genin, even at his young age.

Shikamaru didn't appear to even be on Danzo's radar, well, any more then any other Nara was, and Shisui had no doubt that it was the work of Shikaku and Inoichi. They held a lot of sway in the village, due to being the jounin commander and head of T&I respectively.

Although to be fair, if the kid hadn't shown him that scroll, Shisui never would have guessed he was a time traveler. All Nara acted basically the same, 'I'm smarter than you but too lazy to tell you so'. Made it hard to tell if something was wrong with one of them. They acted basically the same at all times, whether sick, injured, or in high levels of emotional distress. Which, honestly, Shisui wasn't quite sure if they were capable of yet. It didn't really seem like it.

"You should probably relocate," Shikamaru noted tiredly. "The Hyuuga will call on you soon. And I'd rather not have my nap interrupted when that happens."

"Fine, if you hate my presence so much," Shisui said, somewhat dramatically, as the situation called for, "I'll leave."

As he had clearly been dismissed, Shisui hopped down from the tree and exited the Nara clan forests, thankfully without any roots springing up to trip him, or any carnivorous deer to give him a heart attack. They had been near the edge of the forest after all.

Unfortunately, on his way to the Hyuuga compound, two walls, a root, and a tree branch all conspired to injure him, but he evaded them, albeit with some difficulty.

The Hyuuga that met him at the walls looked displeased, but when didn't the Hyuuga. They were like Fugaku, always annoyed.

...Don't let either the Hyuuga or Fugaku hear him say that. Or tell them he said that. It would only spell disaster for him. He would be doomed, and without a trial too. How terrible!

Besides that, he was led to the sanctioned tree, and left to climb up it. Itachi said he was like a squirrel with how he climbed trees using all four limbs, but Shisui will have you know that he taught himself how to tree walk, and just happened to learn it that way, so now it's how he does things. Shikamaru had muttered something about him being troublesome when he saw Shisui do it, so who knew what the Nara was thinking. Not Shisui that was for sure.

The tree had a nice fork he could settle into, which he did gladly. It was certainly easier and more comfortable than the prickly branch he was stuck with in the Nara clan forest. He had no clue how the kid managed to sleep on those branches.

With practice from many long graveyard shifts, Shisui only caught 30-minute naps consisting of light dozing for the next two days, finally getting some actual action in the third night.

A ninja, with a headband, which was the important part, if they had a headband it could be traced to the village. Shisui quietly snuck along above the shinobi, cheerfully using the fact that few people think to look up.

"Boo!" Shisui whispered, knowing the shinobi would hear him, before dropping down to pin the shinobi to the floor. A brief wrestling match that Shisui won through sheer ability honed from years of wrestling with older cousins and the occasional younger cousin, and pinned him to the ground before tying him up in ninja wire.

"Congradulations!" Shisui chirped. "You're gonna be charged with an attempted kidnapping of the Hyuuga heir!"

Well, that was easier than expected, really he'd thought the guy would put up more of a fight. At least SHikaku seemed impressed, so maybe he would ask about a jounin promotion.

**(A/N) Sorry about the paragraphs, someone got chatty. If there are any requests for things to do in the time between this and the time of the Uchiha massacre, and between the occasional plot, I'm up for taking them. The more requests there are, the longer the fic! **


	9. Chapter 8

**(A/N) One thing you must understand about this, is that 95% of the plot, is in the universe Shikamaru is originally from. This is mostly because currently we are 9 years from canon. **

"Father," Shikamaru said, hanging over the side of a chair. "I'm bored." Forgive him if he was a bit restless, once active like he'd been forced to be under Danzo's reign, it was hard to slow back down. Even if it had been a week. "Is there any word from Kumo?"

Shikaku glanced at him with half lidded eyes. "Are you sure you're my son?"

Shikamaru just stared at him for a while. "Kumo?" He asked again.

Shikaku huffed quietly. "Fine. Kumo's annoyed, but can't refute our claims. They're demanding their messenger back. We'll send him over tomorrow."

Shikamaru nodded once, satisfied with that outcome. It really was one of the better ones.

"I'm suggesting Shisui try for jounin," Shikaku added, and Shikamaru blinked at him.

"He's eleven," Shikamaru pointed out.

"Twelve in two months," Shikaku allowed. "He has the skill for it, clearly. And if you're so bored, go talk to your scroll friends. I'm interested to know if your friend finished Hiraishin."

"Probably has," Shikamaru muttered, but moved off anyway, heading for his room where the scroll was currently.

He opened it to find a record of who was awake when, and that Karin was currently awake, although Sakura hadn't gone to sleep yet.

"_Hey." -Shikamaru_

He had to wait a moment before Sakura responded.

"_Oh! Hey Shika!" -Sakura. _

"_Sorry, I was a bit distracted." -Sakura. _

"_It's fine." -Shikamaru. _

"_Is Tenten done with hiraishin?" -Shikamaru_

"_Last we heard from her, yes." -Sakura_

"_Unfortunately it's been two days since then." -Karin_

Shikamaru frowned. That certainly was concerning. Two days without contact from someone who could teleport? Either she was very busy, or dead. Somehow he feared the latter was correct, rather than the former.

"_Can you tell me if she does reappear?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yeah, of course." -Sakura_

"_You don't usually voluntarily talk, are you bored or something?" -Karin_

"_...Maybe." -Shikamaru_

There was a long pause, and Shikamaru suspected they were laughing at him. How rude.

"_Right, maybe you can find something to do?" -Sakura_

"_Maybe the Akimichi'll let you help them or something. Aren't they always up for help cooking?" -Sakura_

"_And then you'll get to see Choji." -Karin_

They did have a point.

"_Fine. I'll go see Choji. Since you guys are so insistent upon me leaving and not talking to you…" -Shikamaru_

"_Noooo, we're sorry, don't leave!" -Sakura_

"_Are you bored?" -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru smirked at the parallel to their asking him the same question earlier. The following answer was the same.

"_...Maybe." -Sakura_

"_In our defense, there is very little to do in here, and we're basically done with our Strength of a Hundred seals." -Karin_

"_Make new medical seals or something. You're both medic-nin, go nuts." -Shikamaru_

"_It's like you want us to stop talking to you." -Sakura_

"_I do have something else to do." -Shikamaru_

"_Rude." -Karin_

"_I'll just leave then. See you around. Tell me if Tenten drops by." -Shikamaru_

"_Deal." -Sakura_

Shikamaru closed the scroll, settling it back into its hiding place. He would drop by to see Choji. It was a good idea. And he wanted to see his friend. Even if said friend was three years old for real, not the fake three year old Shikamaru was. It'd still be good to see him.

"I'm going to go over to Choji's," Shikamaru said, lazily waving a hand in the vague direction of his father.

"Don't die on the way," Shikaku replied, yawning.

Excuse him, Shikamaru was a highly capable jounin. He wouldn't die going three blocks to reach the Akimichi compound. Oh well, troublesome fathers were always bound to be troublesome and worry. It was how fathers worked.

"Shikamaru!" Choji said cheerfully, hugging him.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Chouza asked, ushering him inside. "Oh well, no matter, as long as Shikaku knows you're here, You're good. Come, come, help us cook, we're preparing to send the delegation we're sending to Kumo with their messenger. They'll need food for the journey."

Those picked to escort the messenger were probably jounin, and thus capable of cooking their own meals, but Shikamaru ignored that. It was sweet the Akimichi would do this anyway.

They were the ones to prepare all of the food for those stuck underground. Until Naruto finished the seal with the summoning realm, everyone was stuck relying on the Akimichi to feed everyone. Luckily, the congenial clan didn't mind, even loving the challenge of making enough food.

"Momma's letting me help with the pies!" Choji told him enthusiastically.

Shikamaru yawned. "Is that so? Can I help too?" Perhaps a bit out of character for him, but oh well. When you live with constant missions, one after another, you get used to a certain pace of life, and it's hard to slow down.

Four hours later, and Shikamaru barely remembered to check the scroll before getting ready to crash for the night. He was tired.

"_Good news! Tenten's alive! She was just visiting all of the other hideouts and placing Hiraishin seals in all of them." -Karin_

The message had probably been from a while ago, since Karin had since fallen asleep.

"_That's good to hear, is she all good?" -Shikamaru_

"_Shikamaru!" -Sakura_

"_Yes, she's doing well, and I guess she'll be doing a lot of the food delivery from now on. With a hiraishin seal in every hideout, she'll travel between them and stuff." -Sakura_

"_That's good." -Shikamaru_

It really was. The method they had been using previously, everyone carrying food scrolls on them and dropping them near hideouts, wasn't the greatest. With Tenten there, it would be stabilized, and the Akimichi would probably be able to make a few different foods, with her there to deliver them hot. Assuming they had a seal that allowed them to draw Tenten back.

"_Seriously, it's been amazing. She brought us the first hot meal we've had in months. It was amazing." -Sakura_

"_That's really good. I'm glad you guys could work that out." -Shikamaru_

"_Us too, honestly. Hadn't realized just how much I missed hot meals. Seriously Shikamaru, that meal was heaven in food form." -Sakura_

"_On a completely unrelated note, we've started in on adding more links to the connection, so other people can talk, without this being the only place people can say hi. Oh, Ino says hi. Tenten said to tell you." -Sakura_

"_As amazing as that is, I really need to sleep, I'm exhausted." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh! Alright! Sleep then! Have a good night!" -Sakura_

Shikamaru closed the scroll, hiding it away, and crashing on his bed face down. Now, it was time for some sleep.

**(A/N) Shikamaru is such a mood. But yeah, sleep good. If you have any requests for things to happen, feel free to leave a review about it!**


	10. Chapter 9

**(A/N) Hello! Mandarin Uchiwa: I'm glad you like it! Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell you lot more about what's going on here! Other Guest: *visible confusion* **

**Side note, I wish to murder whoever is unable to make a good timeline software. How do people write things like this with multiple timelines? Well, now that I think about it they probably don't, but whatever. I need a good timeline software to plot this dangit. **

"_Shikamaru." -Sakura_

"_Shikamaru." -Sakura_

"_Shikamaru." -Sakura_

"_What." -Shikamaru. _

Shikamaru was glad the scroll didn't have some sort of alarm function when someone wrote in it. He might have had to wake up. Sakura was lucky he was already awake.

"_Shikamaru." -Ino_

"_I said what, troublesome woman." -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru groaned, suddenly getting why they were pestering him. The extra scrolls had been finished. Troublesome.

"_Who has one?" -Shikamaru_

"_Ino, us, Tenten now has the main copy, Shino, Neji, Kakashi and Itachi." -Sakura_

"_Tenten has the main copy?" -Shikamaru_

"_I do." -Tenten_

"_They figured it'd be safer with me. I haven't settled on a hideout and am just bouncing between them." -Tenten_

Shikamaru had to agree it would likely be safer with someone who had Hiraishin. Tenten had been fearsome before she got Hiraishin, and this likely only ensured her place as a very high ranking ninja indeed.

"_Neji, how are Lee and Gai faring?" -Shikamaru_

Last he'd heard of them, they'd been drafted into ANBU, although he hadn't seen them since, he was pretty sure they were still alive. They were stubborn like that.

"_If I want to have them over for dinner I have to physically go get them because they don't ever remember." -Neji_

"_He's just salty because Lee forgot the epic Naruto beatdown Neji received the other day. He has since been reminded, although whether it stuck remains to be seen." -Ino_

"_How on earth did Lee forget that Chuunin Exams?" -Shikamaru_

"_They've kind of been coping in their own unique way, with severe short term memory loss." -Ino_

"_They aren't home a lot, so I moved in with them." -Neji_

"_I have to go hunt them down a lot unfortunately." -Neji_

"_It's been an adventure." -Ino_

Shikamaru bet. That sounded so very troublesome.

"_At least they remember to take care of themselves." -Neji_

"_That sounds like a stab at my sensei." -Sakura_

"_A valid one." -Ino_

"_I resemble that comment." -Kakashi_

"_Don't you mean resent?" -Shikamaru_

It wasn't like Kakashi to make a mistake, but he figured he should check. Just in case. Was this Kakashi's nice handwriting? As opposed to what he used on mission reports, which was an ineligible chicken scratch.

"_I said what I said." -Kakashi_

So he hadn't made a mistake. Well now they had confirmation that it had, in fact, been a stab at Kakashi, and a correct one at that.

"_Well now we know you can, in fact, write properly." -Shikamaru_

"_We've all seen your mission reports." -Sakura_

"_I reserve the right to remain silent." -Kakashi_

"_You aren't in Konoha, so that's null." -Ino_

"_Although it's basically null these days in Konoha anyway." -Ino_

"_Ino you work in T&I." -Shikamaru _

"_Yeah, the right to remain silent isn't exactly in your vocabulary." -Sakura_

"_Oh shoot! I have to get back to work! Ignore me jotting down flowers in the sides, I'm excusing this as our orders scroll." -Ino_

Shikamaru jotted down his own goodbye, rolling up the scroll to stuff into the seal he'd inked on his forearm. Invisible unless he pushed chakra into it. He did have to actually get up at some point today. He had a rematch with his dad. He suspected it would be another quest for information on his father's part, but he couldn't fault him. He'd be curious too if his kid came from an alternative future.

"Morning," he greeted his mother.

"Good morning Shikamaru," she returned, placing a plate on the table. "Get up earlier next time, you might get more."

Shikamaru blinked tiredly at the plate. Eh, it was food. He could make it up at lunch. Not like he was really doing anything. Except playing his father at shoji.

He settled down across from his father after he'd finished eating.

"You're here."

Shikamaru deigned to yawn in response. His father made the first move, and Shikamaru judged his options before moving as well.

They played in silence for almost an hour before his dad spoke.

"Why did the Hyuuga side with Danzo?"

Shikamaru shrugged, moving his piece. "He promised to allow them their traditions if they sided with him. They sided with him and kept their abomination of a seal."

"That's all?" Shikaku asked, raising an eyebrow and moving a piece.

"He also allowed them to seal the Hyuuga members in ROOT," Shikamaru admitted. He surveyed the board for a long while before moving a piece. "They became his personal force within the village, and he trusts them above the other clans. With the exception of a few people including Hinata and Neji."

"The clan heiress?" Shikaku said, raising his other eyebrow.

"The clan heiress and her cousin," Shikamaru agreed, yawning.

"Troublesome," Shikaku sighed, moving a piece, face assuming it's usual bored expression.

**(A/N) Is this the Naruto version of a chat fic? I mean, it might as well be, except with seals instead of phones and a chat. I mean now we have more perspectives and can have more information. So a good thing? For the record, my dad says 'I resemble that comment' a lot. It seemed like something Kakashi would do. Also, let me know any information you'd like to know, and I'll do my best to provide! I can't always remember what information I've handed out, and which I haven't. **


	11. Chapter 10

**(A/N) It's another other dimension event this time. Next time has a Shikamaru's world event though. Guest(in order): Thank you! / Ah, I have no plans for that currently. He'll just have to age properly. And his parents are/were both Shinobi. They're fine. / The fourth war arc was a mess. But thanks! **

Shikamaru stared at the scroll. He knew logically that even if he didn't open it things wouldn't change, but he really had to hear the news. Or see it. So he opened it up reluctantly.

"_Finally!" -Tenten_

"_Something happen?" -Sakura_

"_Yeah, the freaking seal is done!" -Tenten_

A little doodle of a person throwing their hands in the air was next to the message. It looked like Sakura had replied with a doodle of a person flipping a table.

"_Oh finally." -Neji_

"_Maybe we can't move the green duo in there, but it makes me feel better that there's less chance of you idiots being caught by my clan." -Neji_

"_On a side note, I am now officially designated as their handler. Yay." -Neji_

"_I can feel the sarcasm." -Sakura_

"_Wow. Amazing." -Neji_

Shikamaru snorted, eyeing the little person laughing drawn in next to it.

"_Apparently, since I have calligraphy skills, I get the utmost important job of filling out anything they're supposed to, and making sure they remember everything." -Neji_

"_Oh good for you!" -Tenten_

"_You get to be a glorified secretary!" -Tenten_

"_Says the one I know for a fact has not gotten more then two hours of sleep in the last four days." -Neji_

"_Tenten." -Sakura_

A drawing of a tiny angry person folding their arms made Shikamaru snort again. At least the person wasn't shaking a fist at Tenten.

"_In my defense, we were really close to finishing that seal, and Naruto needed it done before he had to head out again." -Tenten_

"_But now we have it done." -Sakura_

"_And we can see people other than each other and you for the first time in months." -Sakura_

Now caught up, Shikamaru grabbed a pencil.

"_How long will it be before everyone's safe?" -Shikamaru_

"_Oh hey Shikamaru." -Sakura_

"_We estimate three weeks." -Tenten_

"_But when does anything go according to plan." -Tenten_

Shikamaru sighed. She was right of course. Nothing ever did.

"_Have you seen the place?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yes." -Tenten_

"_It's big, and really empty. It's partially a forest, the other half is a rocky plains area. Won't be the best for growing things, but it won't be the worst." -Tenten_

"_The Akimichi will have seeds ready for you by tomorrow." -Ino_

"_I just finished talking to them." -Ino_

"_Thanks Ino." -Tenten_

"_I'm stretched thin trying to do a million things at once, over seeing the construction of the seals that will allow everyone to travel to the place, distributing food to everyone, and trying to avoid those dang Hyuuga. No offense Neji." -Tenten_

"_None taken, I get the feeling. Gai and Lee aren't the only reason I moved out." -Neji_

"_Dang Hyuuga it is then." -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru closed the scroll just as his father came in. "Mother wants us for breakfast?" He asked.

His father nodded tiredly. "Who else?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Ino?" Shikamaru sealed the scroll into his arm, and followed his dad out into the dining room.

"Took you two long enough," his mom scolded them both. "Breakfast was starting to go cold."

It probably wasn't, but semantics.

"Sorry mom," Shikamaru repeated dutifully, sitting down in his spot.

"Sorry dear," his father agreed, kissing his wife. Shikamaru fake gagged, looking determinedly down at his plate.

"Just eat your food," his mom sighed, a thump telling Shikamaru she'd probably slapped his dad's backend. Which he wished he didn't know, but what could he do.

"_How far along are you in the process?" -Shikamaru_

"_The Nara are almost in, just a few more days." -Tenten_

"_I'm starting to wonder if we should make a second set of scrolls just for our world, so we don't clutter this one up with plans and stuff." -Sakura_

"_Probably a good idea." -Shikamaru_

"_I'll get to work on it." -Tenten_

"_Thanks Tenten." -Sakura _

"_No problem." -Tenten_

"_But you have been getting more sleep recently, right?" -Neji_

"_...No comment." -Tenten_

"_I'll knock her out for a while once she drops by here again." -Sakura_

"_Thank you." -Neji_

"_Since apparently, I am the only functional member of our team." -Neji_

"_And I'm the only one with common sense." -Tenten_

"_You're all idiots." -Sakura_

Shikamaru shook his head. Common sense wasn't something that existed in their world any more. It hadn't for a long time. But Tenten did have a version of it. That and a version of sanity, which was impressive for a shinobi. Functional, however was a completely different thing, and also a thing foreign to any seal master. Nara were better at being functional human beings then most, but they were not at all completely functional. No shinobi ever was. It came with the job.

**(A/N) That's Shinobi for you. Not at all functional, and certainly not sane. Tenten just happens to have more common sense than most of Naruto combined. **


	12. Chapter 11

**(A/N) A Shikamaru's world event! Finally! It's November next month, and I will not be posting during that time. So this is good bye for a month and a half. Rest assured, I will be posting after November has ended. **

Shikamaru had known his father was working on getting the village to have better relations with the Uchiha, although he hadn't know it would end up with this.

He'd been walking to the outskirts of the village to attempt to find Shisui and check up on him, a request from his Itachi, something about making sure Danzo doesn't get near him.

He walked past the entrance to the Uchiha compound, then backed up to look again. They were packing.

He could see the shops packing up their wares, people bustling around carrying boxes or scrolls.

He was apparently standing there long enough that Shisui found him instead of the other way around.

"Oh! Hey Shikamaru!" Shisui chirped, landing in front of him, a slightly smaller Uchiha followed by what Shikamaru recognized as a tiny Sasuke, landing next to him. "These are my cousins, Itachi and Sasuke! Sasuke's a little brat, but Itachi's nice. Most of the time."

"Reassuring," Shikamaru remarked dryly. "What's going on?"

Shisui made an inquisitive hum, then glanced behind him. "OH! Yeah! We're packing up cause we're going to be moved back into the center of the village! I think this'll be a huge step in Uchiha and village relations!"

Shikamaru nodded absently. "That's good, I'm glad you're moving back. It'll be better. Probably."

"Reassuring," Shisui parroted Shikamaru's earlier word in a joking manner.

"Very," Shikamaru said dryly.

"How old are you?" Sasuke asked suspiciously after a long moment of staring at Shikamaru.

"Old," Shikamaru deadpanned sarcastically.

"He's your age," Shisui told Sasuke, ruffling the kid's hair. Sasuke batted his hand away and attempted to 'fix' his hair. If putting it back in its duckbutt style was fixing it.

Itachi patted Sasuke's head once he was done. "Perhaps you can be friends."

Shikamaru honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious. Either Itachi was joking, or he really was just that socially awkward. Or had a false belief in Sasuke's ability to make friends. Both were about evenly likely.

"So!" Shisui said, fairly loudly. "I'm starving! Who wants food!"

Shikamaru stared at Shisui for a moment before shrugging and going along with it. Couldn't hurt.

"_So you wouldn't believe what I saw today." -Shikamaru_

"_Oooo, what is it?" -Ino_

"_The Uchiha, they're moving back to the center of the village. This is a huge step towards preventing the Uchiha massacre entirely." -Shikamaru_

"_That's wonderful." -Itachi_

"_I believe that will be a massive step towards integrating them with the village more. The next best step would be to get other shinobi into the Konoha police force." -Itachi_

"_Agreed. Udon was looking through old records from the First Hokage's reign, and he came across a thingy that noted that the Konoha police force was never intended to only be made up of Uchiha." -Ino_

"_Apparently, according to notes left behind by Tobirama Senju, the police force was supposed to be a balance to the Hokage and the ANBU. A way to keep them in check if you will." -Ino_

"_Interesting, I will bring it up to my dad." -Shikamaru_

"_Ensure my father knows of it as well." -Itachi_

"_Tell Shisui, he should be able to bring it up to me, who will bring it up to my father." -Itachi_

"_Alright, I'll remember that." -Shikamaru_

"_Is everyone safe there? -Shikamaru_

"_And did Tenten ever get knocked out?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yes, and yes. I knocked her out as soon as she arrived. She's been sleeping off what I used for the last few hours. This being after the twelve hours of sleep what I used did. She woke up a few hours ago, we got some food into her, then it was off into dreamland again to finish sleeping off the drug." -Sakura _

"_Which one did you use?" -Ino_

"_And that's my cue to leave while I still understand the conversation." -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru took that opportunity and closed the scroll, sealing it away again. He wandered out to find his father, who he knew was at home at the moment. It was one of the very rare lull days. Even now, his father was busy with paperwork that came with being the jounin commander.

"Father?" Shikamaru asked, poking his head into the office his father used.

"Yes Shikamaru? Did something happen?"

Shikamaru shrugged, slipping inside and closing the door behind him. "Not exactly, but something was found."

Shikaku set his pen aside. "Oh? And what might that be?"

Shikamaru sat in the chair in front of his father's desk. "Someone from my original dimension was going through records from the First Hokage's time. They found some interesting things."

"Pertaining to the Uchiha I assume?" Shikaku said, folding his fingers on the desk. "Who wrote them?"

"Tobirama Senju. According to some notes he left on documents surrounding the Konoha Police Force, they were originally designed to be a counter weight or balance for the Hokage and ANBU." Shikamaru sighed, resting his head on his crossed arms. "The intention was to keep them from being too powerful. Something to keep them in check. The Konoha Police Force was never intended to only be the Uchiha."

"And yet Danzo corrupted it," Shikaku sighed alongside him. "I'm getting your mother to begin spreading rumors about him, although it's slow going. With any luck, he'll be removed from any sort of Hokage affecting position soon. It'll be a bit slow however."

"Try and allow other shinobi that aren't Uchiha into the Konoha Police Force next," Shikamaru advised. "It's the next step we need to take."

"Of course," Shikaku agreed, nodding. "Now shoo, I have paperwork to finish."

Shikamaru yawned. "Whatever, I have a nap calling my name anyway."

**(A/N) Mm, naps are good. Alright, next month is November, which means Nanowrimo, which means no updating! So see you in a month and a half. **


	13. Chapter 12

**(A/N) Hello! Miss me? Onward, to another Shikamaru world event. Yes the one hinted last chapter. This is a heavy scroll chapter. Me remembering that this is basically a Naruto chatfic. **

"_No, I am not going to slip poison into his drink." -Shikamaru_

"_Why not!" -Ino_

"_It's a perfectly valid thing to do!" -Ino_

"_Ino, no." -Sakura_

"_Ino, yes." -Ino_

"_Ino, no." -Shikamaru_

"_As great as it would be to see that, I must agree." -Hinata_

"_Hinata! Wonderful to see you again!" -Ino_

"_I trust you are well?" -Shikamaru_

"_Yes, I am well." -Hinata_

"_Just got back from a long mission however." -Hinata_

"_Hey guys!" -Kiba_

The sloppy handwriting was accompanied by an inked pawprint. Looked like Akamaru was there as well. Which was reassuring. The pawprint was massive, how big had Akamaru gotten?

"_How big is Akamaru?" -Shikamaru_

"_Eh? Almost as big as Kuromaru! Not quite, but close!" -Kiba. _

"_That's good, he's growing well." -Kakashi_

"_Ah, the resident cryptid." -Sakura_

"_Excuse you." -Kakashi_

"_Excuse you!" -Sakura_

"_Oh shush you two." -Ino_

"_I still maintain we should poison Danzo. I know a couple that would do the trick! Nice and slow and made to look like a disease!" -Ino_

"_It won't work on our Danzo because he's kind of paranoid like that, but yours shouldn't be that paranoid!" -Ino_

"_I am not poisoning Danzo." -Shikamaru_

"_Final warning." -Shikamaru_

A tiny pouting person was drawn. Shikamaru rolled his eyes at it, then scribbled in a note that he was rolling his eyes in parenthesis next to the person.

A person sticking their tongue out was drawn, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes again.

"_Is there any actual news?" -Shikamaru_

"_Nope, things have been pretty quiet. Which is good." -Sakura_

"_All quiet on our end as well." -Hinata_

"_Good." -Shikamaru_

"_I leave you to your argument." -Shikamaru_

With that he rolled up his scroll and sealed it away. He was hungry, and wanted food.

So he went into the kitchen to find a snack. It was only halfway to dinner, so he wasn't about to wait. Especially not when the other option was pretty much just watching the others argue. He loved them, but they were very tiresome when they argued about everything and nothing.

"Shikamaru?" His father asked, waking Shikamaru from his impromptu nap. "There's news."

Shikamaru blinked up at his father. "What kind?"

"Good, and related to the Uchiha," his father said, opening the door further. "Let's not talk here."

Shikamaru hummed in agreement, rolling off the bed and following his father into his study. "What is it?" he asked as soon as they were in there.

"We have managed to get the presence of other non Uchiha shinobi in the Konoha Police force approved," his father said, very slight excitement entering his tone. Which basically meant he was ecstatic. "Fugaku has been participating more and more in conversations now that Inoichi and I have made an effort to include him. Chouza is following our example, as are several of the other clan heads."

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief. That had likely completely circumnavigated the Uchiha massacre, or at least delayed it a very long time. Shikamaru wouldn't let what had happened in his time happen here. Not while he was alive. He just had to deal with Danzo.

"Now shoo, I have missions to assign," Shikaku said, making a shooing motion with his hand.

Shikamaru huffed a barely audible 'troublesome', but left. He opened up the scroll again once in his room, scanning the conversation, which was a long lecture from Sakura, Ino, and Shino about what poisons were best for whatever things. Shikamaru actually memorized a good section of it. It was good information. Even if he wasn't going to poison Danzo. It may come in handy later.

No one was writing at the moment, although Shikamaru didn't have a way to tell how long they'd been silent. Maybe they should add that. No, it wouldn't work cross dimensions. Oh well.

Writing started showing up, and Shikamaru rummaged for a pencil to reply. Maybe.

"_Hey, Hinata, or someone in Konoha, does Choji have any food scrolls ready? We could really use one, and Tenten can just teleport in and grab it." -Karin_

"_Oh, Choji's been meaning to get me to tell you, he has a lot of food scrolls saved up, cause they don't decay or anything, he has a bunch preprepared. I'll tell him to get some ready." -Ino_

"_Sounds about like him." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh, hi Shikamaru." -Ino_

"_He also says bring back all of the scrolls you guys collected, he needs to reuse them, Naruto's been too busy to make him enough new ones." -Ino_

"_We'll collect them." -Karin_

"_Tell him to expect Tenten in about half an hour. I'll write here when she's ready." -Karin_

"_Alright!" -Ino_

"_I get off in twenty minutes anyway." -Ino_

"_Pretending to be writing down flowers you need again?" -Shikamaru_

"_Oh I'm doing that too." -Ino_

"_Just don't get caught." -Karin_

"_Duh." -Ino_

"_I won't. I promise." -Ino_

"_Now keep that promise." -Karin_

"_Of course." -Ino_

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the two. Maybe they'd stop making metaphorical pining heart eyes at each other. Doubtful, but possible.

**(A/N) I swear I didn't plan for Ino/Karin. I blame them. So, since doesn't like links, you can either wait for tomorrow and check out Silence of a Shinobi that's on Ao3 for the link, or you can take a quick look at the most recent chapter of Scarves Hide Scars on Ao3, or you can join my discord server! The code is pnQAF39 if you wanna come chat! **


	14. Chapter 13

**(A/N) Hello! Happy New Year! We can really only hope that this year is far better than the last, haha. Although considering how bad last year was… *shrugs* We can start the new year with a cute fluffy chapter about the academy, lol. **

Shikamaru couldn't say he was glad to wake up, mostly because he never was, but he certainly wasn't annoyed about it. He started the academy today, he'd be able to check in on the tiny versions of all his classmates.

He knew Choji and Ino were fine, he saw them a lot, just because of his father's closeness with the Akimichi and Yamanaka clan heads. As for the rest of his classmates, and Gai's team, he didn't know. He'd seen Naruto around the village of course, Sasuke was with his brother and cousin sometimes. He'd seen Tenten a few times, often walking with Lee or playing with weapons.

"You're ready?" His mom sounded surprised, and Shikamaru would have been offended if he didn't distinctly remember dragging his feet when he'd actually been a kid.

"Yeah, troublesome woman," Shikamaru said, huffing slightly. He had to admit to being almost excited to see everyone again, even if they weren't going to be the ones he remembered. Hopefully, he could steer some of them on better paths. Like breaking Sakura and Ino out of their fangirlism sooner.

That'd definitely be something on his to-do list. It'd be better for everyone in the long run. Including Shikamaru's sanity.

He checked the scroll as he left, smiling ever so slightly at the encouraging notes everyone had left.

"_Have a good day at school!" -Karin_

"_You'd better actually try this time!" -Ino _

"_Do try and bolster little me's confidence? I don't meet Ino for another year or so, maybe try and either get me to meet Ino sooner, or better, befriend me yourself." -Sakura_

"_It'll be better for my confidence." -Sakura_

Shikamaru had known Sakura had been far from confident before Tsunade got to her, but he hadn't been aware Sakura had met Ino and that was the cause of some of her confidence.

Oh well, if Sakura thought it was important, he might as well.

"_One other thing, if you can, try and get me to open up about my home situation. It'll also do wonders for my confidence. I won't say anything here, just nudge her into telling someone please." -Sakura_

Shikamaru had to admit that didn't bode well. He knew Sakura had moved out the second she made chunin and could support herself, but hadn't known there was a reason behind it other than just wanting to be independent. It seemed there was another thing behind it. He'd have to warn his dad at some point. Or maybe Inoichi.

He sealed the scroll away as he approached the edge of the compound. Just had to get to school and see what happened from there.

He was greeted by chaos when he opened the door, Ino and Kiba quarreling over something while Choji tried to stop them, Naruto and Sasuke yelling at each other, Shino and Sakura sitting relatively quietly together while the girls around them shrieked their heads off about the bugs on the desk, Hinata trying not to cry, and Iruka or any other teacher, nowhere to be seen.

Honestly, Shikamaru didn't want to know. So he sat down at his desk and put his head down on the desk to sleep.

He actually did sleep, despite the racket the girls were making with their screeching. He was almost impressed with himself. Almost. He'd be more impressed if he hadn't managed to sleep through Gai and Lee going through a screaming match in his previous timeline.

Class, as always, was boring, but he hadn't really expected anything else. He was going through this for the second time, and the first time had been boring enough.

"_Have a good day at school?" -Ino_

Oh he could see the cheekyness dripping from that. He was lazy, not blind.

"_You and I both know it was boring." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh I have no doubt." -Ino_

"_Have fun with homework!" -Ino_

"_We don't have any for the first week and a half." -Shikamaru_

He would say that she should know that, but well, not everyone remembered everything. So he'd let her off the hook this time.

"_DId you manage to talk to me?" -Sakura_

"_No, you were busy talking to Shino." -Shikamaru_

"_Oh yeah, I think I did that, then told my parents about him, then they forbade me from talking to him. I probably won't be talking to him tomorrow, corner me then. And get me talking to Shino again, I think we could've been good friends." -Sakura_

"_I've talked with Shino more during our poison lessons, and he's mentioned being hurt by your immediate dismissal of him that second day. It really stuck with him." -Ino_

"_I'll get right on that tomorrow then." -Shikamaru_

Shikamaru sighed. He could see Sakura waiting for something nearby, so he stored the scroll for the moment and walked over. "Sakura Haruno, right?"

She startled, spinning around. "Ah! Yes, that's right. You're a Nara, right?"

"Shikamaru," he agreed. "Y'know, parents aren't always right. And they don't control who you make friends with."

She gave him a confused look, but he could live with confused looks if it spared poor Shino a bit of childhood trauma. They had enough trauma, he could at least get rid of some of it. And this wasn't too much work.

"If you say so," she said hesitantly.

"I'm sure," Shikamaru assured her. "Have a nice day."

"You too," she mumbled, waving half heartedly.

Success. Tomorrow he'd see how well it worked. He hoped it'd worked right.

**(A/N) One note, it's Maito Gai, Azumane Asahi, and Nezu's birthday. So happy birthday to our favorite green beast of Konoha, gentle giant ace of Karasuno, and eldritch god who knows everything. Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day! (And year) **


End file.
